1 N ow Joshua the son of Nun sent out two men from Acacia Grove to spy secretly, saying, “Go, view the land, especially Jericho.” So they went, and came to the house of a harlot named Rahab, and lodged there.

Then Joshua the son of Nun sent two men as spies secretly from Shittim, saying, “Go, view the land, especially Jericho.” So they went and came into the house of a harlot whose name was Rahab, and lodged there.

2 A nd it was told the king of Jericho, saying, “Behold, men have come here tonight from the children of Israel to search out the country.”

It was told the king of Jericho, saying, “Behold, men from the sons of Israel have come here tonight to search out the land.”

3 S o the king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying, “Bring out the men who have come to you, who have entered your house, for they have come to search out all the country.”

And the king of Jericho sent word to Rahab, saying, “Bring out the men who have come to you, who have entered your house, for they have come to search out all the land.”

4 T hen the woman took the two men and hid them. So she said, “Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they were from.

But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them, and she said, “Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they were from.

5 A nd it happened as the gate was being shut, when it was dark, that the men went out. Where the men went I do not know; pursue them quickly, for you may overtake them.”

It came about when it was time to shut the gate at dark, that the men went out; I do not know where the men went. Pursue them quickly, for you will overtake them.”

6 ( But she had brought them up to the roof and hidden them with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order on the roof.)

But she had brought them up to the roof and hidden them in the stalks of flax which she had laid in order on the roof.

7 T hen the men pursued them by the road to the Jordan, to the fords. And as soon as those who pursued them had gone out, they shut the gate.

So the men pursued them on the road to the Jordan to the fords; and as soon as those who were pursuing them had gone out, they shut the gate.

8 N ow before they lay down, she came up to them on the roof,

Now before they lay down, she came up to them on the roof,

9 a nd said to the men: “I know that the Lord has given you the land, that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land are fainthearted because of you.

and said to the men, “ I know that the Lord has given you the land, and that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land have melted away before you.

10 F or we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were on the other side of the Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed.

For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed.

11 A nd as soon as we heard these things, our hearts melted; neither did there remain any more courage in anyone because of you, for the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath.

When we heard it, our hearts melted and no courage remained in any man any longer because of you; for the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath.

12 N ow therefore, I beg you, swear to me by the Lord, since I have shown you kindness, that you also will show kindness to my father’s house, and give me a true token,

Now therefore, please swear to me by the Lord, since I have dealt kindly with you, that you also will deal kindly with my father’s household, and give me a pledge of truth,

13 a nd spare my father, my mother, my brothers, my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death.”

and spare my father and my mother and my brothers and my sisters, with all who belong to them, and deliver our lives from death.”

14 S o the men answered her, “Our lives for yours, if none of you tell this business of ours. And it shall be, when the Lord has given us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with you.”

So the men said to her, “Our life for yours if you do not tell this business of ours; and it shall come about when the Lord gives us the land that we will deal kindly and faithfully with you.” The Promise to Rahab

15 T hen she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was on the city wall; she dwelt on the wall.

Then she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was on the city wall, so that she was living on the wall.

16 A nd she said to them, “Get to the mountain, lest the pursuers meet you. Hide there three days, until the pursuers have returned. Afterward you may go your way.”

She said to them, “ Go to the hill country, so that the pursuers will not happen upon you, and hide yourselves there for three days until the pursuers return. Then afterward you may go on your way.”

17 S o the men said to her: “We will be blameless of this oath of yours which you have made us swear,

The men said to her, “ We shall be free from this oath to you which you have made us swear,

18 u nless, when we come into the land, you bind this line of scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and unless you bring your father, your mother, your brothers, and all your father’s household to your own home.

unless, when we come into the land, you tie this cord of scarlet thread in the window through which you let us down, and gather to yourself into the house your father and your mother and your brothers and all your father’s household.

19 S o it shall be that whoever goes outside the doors of your house into the street, his blood shall be on his own head, and we will be guiltless. And whoever is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head if a hand is laid on him.

It shall come about that anyone who goes out of the doors of your house into the street, his blood shall be on his own head, and we shall be free; but anyone who is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head if a hand is laid on him.

20 A nd if you tell this business of ours, then we will be free from your oath which you made us swear.”

But if you tell this business of ours, then we shall be free from the oath which you have made us swear.”

21 T hen she said, “According to your words, so be it.” And she sent them away, and they departed. And she bound the scarlet cord in the window.

She said, “According to your words, so be it.” So she sent them away, and they departed; and she tied the scarlet cord in the window.

22 T hey departed and went to the mountain, and stayed there three days until the pursuers returned. The pursuers sought them all along the way, but did not find them.

They departed and came to the hill country, and remained there for three days until the pursuers returned. Now the pursuers had sought them all along the road, but had not found them.

23 S o the two men returned, descended from the mountain, and crossed over; and they came to Joshua the son of Nun, and told him all that had befallen them.

Then the two men returned and came down from the hill country and crossed over and came to Joshua the son of Nun, and they related to him all that had happened to them.

24 A nd they said to Joshua, “Truly the Lord has delivered all the land into our hands, for indeed all the inhabitants of the country are fainthearted because of us.”

They said to Joshua, “Surely the Lord has given all the land into our hands; moreover, all the inhabitants of the land have melted away before us.”